DB is not going dark today, though I do stand with the rest of
the Internet in calling for the defeat of SOPA/PIPA. I make my
living off of my creative work and I have seen it pirated in
just
about every way imaginable. Still, I would rather endure that
than give the government carte blanche to shut down sites
without
due process.
Rather than darken my whole site I have turned off my
"Fluorescence" mushrooms for the day on my home
page. Members can download the
wallpaper from the links above.
Wikipedia has a great resource for contacting your elected
officials and showing your displeasure with SOPA/PIPA at
http:/
/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:CongressLookup.

Member Comments

Steve W

"So Cool"

This is my favorite in the "Fluorescence" series, and one of my overall DB favorites. It's almost like black leather...

Wed April 4, 2012 at 2:14 pm

Jenanne

"THANK YOU, RYAN!"

Thanks so much for your stand for the defeat of SOPA/PIPA! I think many people don't understand that the Internet as we know and love it would no longer exist if these bills pass. It's just another Government grab for control of our freedom of speech and expression.

Thu February 9, 2012 at 3:09 pm

Rictur

"I salute you, sir"

Love your work. This Fluorescence has always been one of my favorites. In fact it was the original that brought me to your site. I just received my renewal notice and am happily renewing.

Thu February 9, 2012 at 2:20 pm

Philip C

"Good to see artists standing up against these bills"

Too often the proponents of SOPA and PIPA try to make it about artists rights. Good to see yet another of my favorite artists understand the disastrous effects these bills could have. And it's a cool picture too!

Wed February 1, 2012 at 10:02 am

lightcycle

"Nice!"

I might try this out as a wallpaper for a while, it looks cool! I appreciate you taking a stand against a very questionable development. Every new wallpaper makes me more and more happy with buying the lifetime membership. Btw, "sopa" is in fact an actual word in swedish. It might perhaps most accurately be translated as "trash" :)

Fri January 27, 2012 at 11:45 am

Nemo1024

"Sopp"

The irony of if comes into bloom in Norwegian, where the word "sopp" means "mushroom" and is visually quite close to "SOPA" :)

Fri January 27, 2012 at 4:04 am

Tuishimi

"Maybe in protest... but I like this as much as the second version..."

...It's my current desktop. :)

Thu January 26, 2012 at 10:46 am

Sandor

"Best version of Fluorescence imho"

I hope we don't need any more crazy laws for you to continue experimenting with darker versions of your classics ;)

Don't get me wrong, I love your colorful pieces too - but as someone said before, this is most definitely badass.

Tue January 24, 2012 at 1:07 pm

Nephelyn

"@Chris B:"

Hey Chris,

many people just don't realize that proprietary operating systems like MacOs and MS-Windows are severely diminishing their freedom. They get their constitutional rights withheld without any permission at all, domineered, their OSes forceably changed without -any- asking, and lied to. They even get spied on and attacked every day through intentionally implemented backdoors, which had been abused by hackers to install additional backdoors for years by the way. It's the main reason why Windows is that unsafe - and all that for a little practical inconvenience they THINK they would face with GNU/Linux. They even pay a lot of money for that !

I don't get it at all ...

Anyway : There is one other lecture of Dr. R. Stallman which might be of interest to you :

P.S.: After I watched this video below, I was definitely convinced that the CEO of Microsoft, Steve Ballmer must be as NUTS as they come. In my opinion, he belongs committed into Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital for life. Customers/Users of any Windows version should watch that and think about the fact that they're paying e.g. his next Ferrari (so far I counted 4).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvsboPUjrGc

Best regards,

Nephelyn.

Tue January 24, 2012 at 0:26 am

Nick B

"Excellent"

As a fan of darker art and cyberpunk, this is bad ass. Great work. I was wondering how you especially would react to SOPA/PIPA, and I appreciate the keen attention to all aspects of the bill. Keep up the great work; I'm behind you all the way.

Mon January 23, 2012 at 11:47 pm

Chris B

"@ Nephelyn"

that's a great lecture A lot of it I knew, but I didn't know a lot of the background Info.

Mon January 23, 2012 at 5:08 pm

ChrisSpera

"AWESOME Work"

Perhaps just a tad too dark, but still an awesome piece of work. Great job, Ryan!

Mon January 23, 2012 at 1:44 pm

Nephelyn

"@Jordan :"

Lets just assume you're talking to me in your last comment.

When you watch this video behind the link below, you'll find out that you've misunderstood most things about Free Software, or you just have been severely misinformed. "free" in "free software" for example is meant in the sense of "freedom" and NOT in the sense of "zero price."

Let Dr. Richard Stallman, President of the Free Software Foundation and founding father of -all- GNU/Linux Operating Systems tell you what Free Software is all about, or you're going to misunderstand the whole thing.

You should also be aware of the fact that "intellectual property", "internet piracy" and "software piracy" are ridiculous propaganda terms which are abused to twist people's minds/opinions about copyright law. By repeating those terms in public you're doing exactly what the lobbyists behind that mind-twisting scheme want you to do - which is behaving like a puppet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNBMdDaYhZA

Best regards, Nephelyn.

Sun January 22, 2012 at 9:53 pm

Jordan

"Opinion on Software Piracy"

While open source and free, non-copyrighted software can be good, there is a reason why people will copyright software and other intellectual property. It takes time and money to create it. I don't know about you, but if I'm told that I'm not going to be paid for what I am going to be putting a lot of time and effort into, then I'm going to put my time and effort elsewhere where I will be paid and whatever I would have created can be done by somebody else who doesn't mind giving away their work. That being said, SOPA/PIPA were a bad idea and poorly planned from the start. A better solution would be to enforce current laws rather than create new ones that won't be properly used anyway.

Sun January 22, 2012 at 4:37 pm

Jordan

"Opinion on Software Piracy"

While open source and free, non-copyrighted software can be good, there is a reason why people will copyright software and other intellectual property. It takes time and money to create it. I don't know about you, but if I'm told that I'm not going to be paid for what I am going to be putting a lot of time and effort into, then I'm going to put my time and effort elsewhere where I will be paid and whatever I would have created can be done by somebody else who doesn't mind giving away their work. That being said, SOPA/PIPA were a bad idea and poorly planned from the start. A better solution would be to enforce current laws rather than create new ones that won't be properly used anyway.

Sun January 22, 2012 at 4:37 pm

Nephelyn

"Dead In The Water !"

Looks like SOPA/PIPA just got what it deserved - roadkill .. At least for now.

Piracy is defined as the attack on ships. Are you a man or a puppet ? Are you able to think for yourself ? Oh really !?! Then I suggest to refrain from repeating propaganda terms ! Copying software isn't the problem, proprietary software + software patents are. That nonsense interferes with the development of new software all around the world !

Sat January 21, 2012 at 8:32 pm

Jason

"Agreed!"

Piracy is a problem, but SOPA / PROTECT IP is *not* the way to fix it.

Oh, and the dual-screen is whack. The 'shrooms are centered, which means my monitor border interrupts the focal point of the piece.

Fri January 20, 2012 at 11:13 am

Nephelyn

"@Gary"

That's the general idea 'cause it's a dark, dark day for website owners when this law gets through, Einstein ... :)

Fri January 20, 2012 at 11:10 am

Gary

"I like the idea"

But this image is way, WAY TOO DARK!!!

Fri January 20, 2012 at 10:06 am

Nephelyn

"SOPA/PIPA"

Hi !

Everyone should bear in mind that "intellectual property" and "internet piracy" are ridiculous propaganda terms which are (ab)used to twist people's opinions about copylight law.

As this is a more complex matter, I think it would be a good thing to anyone who's uncertain about this matter to take the opportunity of letting Dr. Richard Stallman, President of the Free Software Foudation and founding father of -all- GNU/Linux Operating Systems to explain the ongoing mind-twist of "intellectual property" and "piracy" terms personally :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNBMdDaYhZA

Greetz, Nephelyn.

Thu January 19, 2012 at 9:18 pm

Falazure

"SOPA/PIPA"

While internet piracy might be a problem? (though not really as it is the best medium by far for organizations to communicate and share material) in no way shape or form should governments have that kind of power to cencor online medium...its simply too big now.

Thu January 19, 2012 at 7:27 pm

betsey

"dark fluorescence"

I admit I had NO idea what you were gonna do about SOPA?PIPA--this us great--could we get a little green and a little red too????

Thu January 19, 2012 at 6:47 pm

Nico

"Hear Hear let freedom Ring!"

I like this but would also like to see the mushrooms stand out a little more maybe set a glow around them or even a background of congress? I don't know but the message is good! Thanks!

Thu January 19, 2012 at 5:37 pm

Travis

"Bravo"

don't let them black out the internet! stop SOPA / PIPA!!!!!!

Thu January 19, 2012 at 3:32 pm

vtowens

"Free Speech Protection "

Thanks for taking a public stand against censorship!

Thu January 19, 2012 at 12:04 am

Brandi U.

"Wow, never thought I'd like a black background"

First, great way to support concerns with SOPA/PIPA.

I didn't think I'd care for such a dark background, but there is amazing depth to this scene. Gives a fantastic look to both my computer and Blackberry.

Now, if you'd only add 480x640 to your Mobile wallpapers, I'd really be happy (I have to adjust the 480x800 for my phone). :)

Thu January 19, 2012 at 10:56 am

Chris

"Very nice"

I am very glad you are helping stand up against this SOPA/PIPA movement although I gotta say I probably won't put this image as my desktop background anytime soon. Too dark. But still, I think the message is more important than a nice desktop wallpaper.

Thu January 19, 2012 at 10:13 am

Alex H

"Brilliant"

It's been a while since I gave a 10 rating.

Thu January 19, 2012 at 5:43 am

H.G.

"Good idea"

Good idea for an ani-SOPA statement, though no one will probably get it without explanation. Still, I'm glad your participating.

Also, having a "Facebook Timeline" version is a golden idea for all your future images.

Wed January 18, 2012 at 10:38 pm

Chris B

"Where is it?"

It doesn't show up on the main page, I only saw it because of facebook and then the feedback on the right hand side.

Wed January 18, 2012 at 9:48 pm

Lidia

"Dark Fluorescence"

It is so awesome that you created this image in protest! What a great visual for what it represents! Thanks! I already went to both Google and Wikipedia to join others in expressing my displeasure with SOPA/PIPA.